Means for assembling and/or disassembling two members or units



June 21, 1960 P. A. A. RAULT 2,941,285

MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING AND/OR DISASSEMBLING TWO MEMBERS OR UNITS Filed July 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEHTOR.

PIERR ALBER A DRE RAUL-T BY:

June 21, 1960 P. A. A. RAULT 2,941,285

MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING AND/0R DISASSEMBLING TWO MEMBERS 0R UNITS Filed July 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVQYTM:

PIERRE Awmr ALEX/wee Ra 87- June 21, 1966 P. A. A. RAULT MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING AND/OR DISASSEMBLING TWO MEMBERS 0R UNITS Filed July 21, 1953 4'Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOK.

June 21, 1960 A, A, R LT 2,941,285

MEANS FOR ASSEMBLING AND/OR DISASSEMBLING TWO MEMBERS OR UNITS Filed July 21, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 PIERRE ALBERT, ALEXA/WEE i/wur' Stats MEANS F OR ASSEMBLING AND/ OR DISASSEM- BLING TWO MEMBERS R UNITS Pierre Albert Alexandre Rault, Paris, France, assignor to Compagnie llndustrielle des Telephones, Paris, France, a French corporation This invention relates to means suitable for moving with respect to each other two members or units, and particularly a frame and a casing for electrical or electromechanical apparatus with current intake.

In the following the word manipulate and its derivatives will be used to designate briefly the fact of moving with respect to each other the two members or elements concerned.

The means for performing this action comprise the use of a device having special characteristics and the adaptation of at least one of the .two members, which it is intended to move, to the use of the device.

Various means of moving two elements relative to each other are known, as also devices for putting such means into use.

Mechanical corkscrews, for example, are devices of this kind, in which one of the two members to be taken apart is adapted to receive the screw which constitutes the fundamental part of the corkscrew. Generally speaking corkscrews are not normally adapted for the reassembly of the two members which they can move away from each other.

Among other devices for manipulation of two members or units, various types are known particularly intended for the extraction and/ or replacement of casings, chassis or the like, being introduced into the different compartments of a cupboard, rack or the like. Such devices are particularly used in certain electrical equipment, :and more particularly in electronic or telecommunication apparatus.

These cabinets or the like are most often parallelepipedal in shape and they comprise at the back plugs or jawswhich ensure their electrical connections with the cupboard or rack, while their movement in the compartments is guided by grooves or similar members. The effort required to return the elements into the original position at the end of the run in order to engage the electrical connections of the casing in the corresponding connections of the rack is often fairly great.

Devices including a screw and a nut respectively car ried by the casing and by the rack are known, the relative displacement of the two latter members being ob- .tained thus with a great reduction of the effort exerted.

Other known devices for the same use comprise, on either side of the front surface of the casing, a circular piece provided with a helicoidal slope in which a spur integral with the rack penetrates. The rotation of the circular member by means of a handle makes it possible to exert a considerable eifort of displacement on the rack.

Still other devices comprise a lever, resting on the rack and acting by means of a fork-joint on the corresponding casing in order to ensure its displacement.

All these known devices have various drawbacks, and in particular, most often, that of requiring special pieces placed on each casing or corresponding member.. These pieces increase substantially the weight and/or bulk of the installation, also its cost price.

The main object of the invention is to provide means for moving two elements in respect to each other, which meet the various requirements better than hitherto, and which in particular only require a single device, adapted to be used on a fairly large number of casings, members or apparatus as may be desired, while being simple in construction and easy and efficient to handle.

The means according to the invention for moving, that is to say, assembling and/or taking apart with respect to each other two members or units, are chiefly characterised by. the feature, that they comprise an instrument having two parts adapted to move with respect to each other, a free end of one of said two parts being applied to one of the two members to be manipulated, said end tending to displace said member in one direction, while the free end of the other part is applied to the other member to be manipulated and tends to displace it in the other direction, said ends of the device and said members to be manipulated comprising arrangements permitting their co-operation when manipulated, the operations of assembly and taking apart being effected with relative displacements of the given one of the mobile parts of the device, in relation to the other mobile part thereof, in the same direction, one of the mobile parts of said instrument co-operating with one of the two members at the time of assembly, and with the other at the time of disassembly.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the device comprises lazy tong operating means, thatis to say, means composedof a plurality of pairs of linkage members arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to an imaginary axis of symmetry, the two linkage members of a pair being pivotally connected with each other at a point situated on the axis of symmetry, and two linkage members belonging to two adjacent pairs of linkage members being pivotally connected to each other at a point not in the axis of symmetry so that the successive adjacent pairs of linkage members constitute a plurality of deformable symmetrical quadrangles. Such a system constitutes a pantographic system of articulated quadrangles. This system has at one of its ends a handle or the like and at the other end a first member for supporting or hooking-on to one of the members to be moved, and has at a parallelogram apex intermediate between these two ends and preferably the first apex on the axis of symmetry starting from said other end, a secondhooking-on or supporting piece for the other of the two members to be moved, a

.large portion of one of these pieces being placed in a plane superposed on another plane in which a large portion of the other piece is placed.

The invention will be explained by reference to the attached drawings, which are only given as non-limitative examples.

Figs. 1 and 2 are two perspective views showing two variants of an embodiment of the instrument forming a part of the means of the invention.

Fig. 3 is a plane view of a detail of assembly of said instrument- Figs. 4 and 5 are schematic views respectively in external perspective and in partial longitudinal section, of electromechanical devices with current intake, comprising another part of the means of the invention, and to which the device of Fig. 1 is applied.

Figs. 6 and 7 are large-scale diagrams, partially in section partially in elevation, showing the detail of cooperation of said instrument and of one of said devices, respectively at the time of taking apart and at the time of mutual assembly of two of its members.

:Finally, Fig. 8 shows a variant of detail relating to'the manipulation instrument.

According to the method of execution shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the device for moving two elements in'respcct Patented June 21, 1960 to each other, comprises a pantographic system set up between a handle member 1 and a first engaging or coupling member 2.. In the variant of Fig. 1, the pantographic system comprises two parallelograrns 3a-- 3b, 3a3b', 4af-4b' and 4a4b made partial-1y integral with each other. In the variant of Fig. 2, said system comprises three parallelograms 3a--3b, 441-471 and 5a- 5b. .The sides of these parallelog-rarns are articulated on shafits 673-9' placed in the axial line of thepantographic system, and on shafts 10a-11a-12z z and 10b- 1r1b12b placed outside said axial line. I (Fig. 3) carries the first engaging or coupling member 2 and the shaft 8 or 9 carries the handlemember 1.

Furthermore, one of the other shafts otthe axial li 1 1 which is shaft 7 in the examples shown, carries a second engaging or supporting member 13. H v V o 7 The two members 2 and 1-3 are each intended to act on one of the two elements to be moved with respect to each other. For this purpose, a large portion of the piece 13 is placed in a plane superposed on a plane in which is placed a large portion of the piece 2; on the other hand, the two pieces 2 and 13 are shaped and constructed so as to permit and/r facilitate their coupling or support on the element with which. they have to cooperate for relative movement in relation to the other element. a 7

A pair of linkage members 4a, 4b' located at one end of the lazy tong operating means are pivoted at 8 to the handle member 1. Another pair of linkage members 3a, 312 located at the other end of the lazy tong operating means are pivoted at 6 to the first engaging member 2, as illustrated in Fig. 3. A pairof intermediate linkage members 3a, 4b, and 3b, 4a are pivoted to the end linkage members and to each other intermediate of the ends thereof at the point 7 of intersection. 4

the two examples illustrated these forms and devices are set up in the following manner.

Member 2 is a small plate the length of which is transverse to the axial line of the device, said small plate having, moreover, two portions placed in planes parallel to each other and connected by a shoulder 2a. The longitudinal section 2b of said piece is slightly hollowed in order to sno a better utilisation in a specific case, as is i n dicated further on with reference to Fig, 6.

The member 13 itself is formed as a hook 13a at its free end and extends in its length parallel to the axial of the device. This member '13 comprises a means of couto one of the two elements to be moved, this coupling means being constituted in the case of Figs. and 2 by the hook 13a which'is placed further away from the handle 1 than the longitudinal section 2b, and constitutes a free end portion movable between a point located on one side of the engaging surface of member 2 and a point of the opposite side thereof.

Further-more it is advantageous to slide the respective displacements of the elements 2 and 13 with respect to each other. In the examples of Figs. 1 and 2 this sliding is guided by a slide 14 fixed on the member 2, and in which the small member 13 passes. In this way the displacements of the pieces 2 and 13 are eifected with limited play, 'so that the device, while being manipulated, otf ers suiiicient rigidity on the part of its coupling or s ii-ppor'tirig "pieces.

H The means of manipulation according to the inventioncan be applied to various members or units. According to'theexample shown in Figs. 4 to 7, it has been assumed that thesem'eans were applied to the manipulation '('rnoving towards and away from each other) of bers of an electrical device comprising a rack and Eiieonnioie casings which are removable in relatio n to said rack. An apparatus of this kind has been shown schematically in Figs. 4 and the rack 15 comprises six compantnients thereof. 7 o

The base 15a of each compartment comprises a notch 16 or the like. This notch, which forms apart ofthe shait 6' means of manipulation according to the invention, cooperates with the coupling means hook 13a of the instrument of Figs. 1 and 2.

Each compartment can take a casing 17 containing electrical or electromechanical equipment. This equipment is connected to a source of supply of electric current, by a current tapping 18-181 assumed to have multiple pins, the part 18a being carried by the rack and the part 18b by the casing. Each casing 17 moreover is set up in such a way that when it is in place in the rack, the piece such as 13 of the instrument of Figs. 1 and 2 can be introduced between it and said rack, towards the place where the notch, such as 16, is located, and that moreoverthe casing may be at least partially displaced in the rack, while said piece such as 13 remains inserted between the rack and said casing. For this purpose, in the example of Fig. 4, on the one hand each casing is supported in its compartment by lateral strips 19 torrning' a slide, so that the bottom of each casing is slightly separated from the bottom of the corresponding compartment. The front surface of each casing and a fraction of the front portion of its base are themselves pierced by an aperture 29 shown in Figs. 4, 6, and 7, said aperture again torming a part of the means of manipulation according to the invention.

The. method of co-operation of the means of manipulation according to the invention, when in use, is shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

In the case of Fig. 6, these means are utilised to extract the casing 17 from one of the compartments of which the base 15a is shown. For this purpose, the hook 13a of the coupling piece 13 is introduced behind the front surface of said casing 17, While the extreme section 2b of the piece 2 is placed against the front section of the base 15a of the compartment. Then the handle it of the manipulating device is pulled in the direction 21, which has the effect of displacing the piece or small tongue 13 in the same direction 21 in relation to the piece 2, and this with an increase of the effort exerted on this handle.

The reverse operation is shown in Fig. 6. There, the front face of a casing 17 is shown while being put in place in a compartment of which the base is 15a. The extracting instrument has been turned round face for face, so that the hook 13a of the coupling piece 13 could be introduced into the notch 16 of the base 15a. The extreme section 2b of the piece 2 is supported on the front wall of the casing 17. The extracting implement is m'anoeuvred by again pulling the handle 1 in the direction 21. This tends, as in the preceding case, to shift the piece 13 in the same direction 21in relation to the piece 2. However, as said piece 13 is blocked by its flange 13a in the notch 16, assumed to be fixed, it is actually the piece 2 which, by reaction, is shifted; in the reverse direction 22, thus pushing the casing 17 forcibly into the compartment 15--1Sa.

It will be noted, moreover, that an extracting implement according to the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 permits very rapid handling and a great increase of the effort exerted on the handle 1, said effort being increased as the ratio az'b of the distance 'a between the axes 6 and 8 or 6 and 9, to the distance b between the axes 6 and 7.

As a consequence, and whatever the embodiment adopted means are obtained which are adapted to manipulate, that -is to say move toward and away from each other, two members or units. These means offer real advantages, and in particular:

That of only requiring an extremely simple adaptation on the members to be manipulated, which does not increase the weight or the volume of said members;

That of permitting the use of a manipulating instrument which may be unique, for successive manipulations in as great a number as desired; and

That of permitting the use of sucha manipulating de vice, which is siinple,'strong and easy to use, and which, if need be, always operates in the same direction.

The invention is in noway restricted to those methods of application or execution which have been more particularly indicated; it covers, on the contrary, all the variants, and as an example:

Those in accordance with which the pieces 2 and/or 13 are arranged differently from those of Figs. 1 and 2: which is the case for the piece 13 of Fig. 8, of which the end carries a spur 13b playing the same part as the flange 13a;

Those in accordance with which the manipulating instrument is arranged differently from that which has been shown, particularly with regard to its handle and its mechanism for increasing the effort exerted on the latter, and particularly in the case in which the pantographic system shows variants in relation to that of Figs. 1 and 2; these variants in particular being able to include parallelograms of dimensions identical with each other, and/ or of which the sides are of curvilinear form; and

Those in accordance with which the means of the invention are applied to members other than a rack and casings for electrical apparatus with a current intake.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for moving two elements relative to each other in a predetermined direction comprising, in combination, a handle member; a first engaging member having an engaging surface adapted to engage one of the elements and arranged substantially transverse to the predetermined direction; a lazy tong operating means composed of a pair of end linkage members at one end of said lazy tong operating means pivoted to said handle member, a pair of end linkage members at the other end of said elongated second engaging member being slidably mounted on said first engaging member for relative move ment in the predetermined direction with respect thereto and having a free end portion movable between a point located on one side of said engaging surface of said first engaging member and a point of the opposite side thereof.

2. A device for moving two elements relative to each other in a predetermined direction comprising, in combination, a handle member; a first engaging member having an engaging surface adapted to engage one of the elements and arranged substantially transverse to the predetermined direction; a lazy tong operating means composed of a pair of end linkage members at one end of said lazy tong operating means pivoted to said handle member, a pair of end linkage members at the other end of said lazy tong operating means pivoted to said first engaging member, and at least a pair of intermediate linkage members pivoted to said end linkage members and pivoted to each other intermediate the ends thereof at at least one point of intersection; and an elongated second engaging member pivoted to said lazy tong means at a point of intersection of said intermediate linkage members, said elongated second engaging member being slidably mounted on said first engaging member for relative movement in the predetermined direction with respect thereto and having a hook-shaped free end portion movable between a point located on one side of said engaging surface of said first engaging member and a point of the opposite side lazy tong operating means pivoted to said first engaging member, and at least a pair of intermediate linkage members pivoted to said end linkage members and pivoted to each other intermediate the ends thereof at at least one point of intersection; and an elongated second engaging member pivoted to said lazy tong means at a point of intersection of said intermediate linkage members, said thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 307,195 Holt Oct. 28, 1884 1,320,225 Hallett Oct. 28, 1919 1,747,623 Fickert Feb. 18, 1930 2,282,608 Rempel May 12, 1942 

